The New England Whalers, later known as the Hartford Whalers, were one of the last two teams to join the brand-new World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1971, but they ended up being one of the most successful clubs in the league, on the ice and at the gate.
The Spirits of St. Louis originated as the Houston Mavericks, a charter member of the ABA in 1967. In 1969, they became the Carolina Cougars. In 1974 they moved to St. Louis. They folded when four fellow ABA members were accepted into the NBA in the summer of 1976.
The story of the Seattle Pilots is one of the most fascinating in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB). It began years before the team’s 1969 debut, and is tale filled with hope, excitement, money (and lack thereof), franchise relocations, and political influence.
The team that would become the Quebec Nordiques began in 1971 as the San Francisco Sharks, a charter member of the WHA. When the new league got skittish on San Francisco, the team was sold to a group of investors from Quebec City.
In the professional sports franchise arms race of the 1970s, there were many casualties, particularly in the world of hockey. One of those was the expansion Kansas City Scouts.
*Like our new look? Next up: site speed. You can help with a tip for our Speed Fund today. Thank you!
